​It has been another strong start to the college season locally, as seven of the top 20 teams in the nation were ranked nationally as of Monday.
The majority of those clubs, including Hockey East powers like Boston College, Boston University and Maine, have representation of former New England prep stars.
With the prep regular season beginning for all teams this week, what better time to see how some of its players are doing in college?
The list includes several current captains and newcomers to the college scene alike, but other familiar names are sure to emerge as the season continues through March.
Let's dive in.
Shane Lachance
Boston University | F
Hometown: Andover, Mass.
Prep: Tabor
The grandson of legendary Terrier coach Jack Parker is putting up the numbers of a seasoned veteran as the first sophomore captain in program history. Lachance, a 6-foot-5 power forward, carries a five-game point streak into December and has a team-leading 17 points in 14 games this season. Twenty seconds after dishing his 10th assist to fellow co-captain Ryan Greene to tie the game in the third period, he scored the deciding goal to lift BU past Notre Dame for the Friendship Four title Friday in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Ethan Gardula
Connecticut | F
Hometown: Princeton, Mass.
Prep: Cushing
Less than two years after posting 51 points while leading Cushing to its first of back-to-back Elite Eight championship appearances under now-former coach Paul Pearl, Gardula has found a home in Storrs and quickly earned top-line responsibility in several games in the early going this season. The winger has three goals and four assists to his name thus far for the Huskies, producing his second of two multi-point efforts (two assists) in a win at UMass Lowell two weekends ago.
Ben Meehan
UMass Lowell | D
Hometown: Walpole, Mass.
Prep: Dexter Southfield
A 2020 draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, Meehan opted to return to UMass Lowell for his graduate season and the Norm Bazin-led River Hawks have certainly been happy with that decision amidst surpassing last season’s win total while starting 10-3-1. Not only has Meehan logged top-pair minutes after missing part of last season with a knee injury, but he has already racked up 11 points — six shy of his career-high mark — and been a plus player through 14 games. He’s a big reason why UMass Lowell is back to its old self as a Hockey East contender thus far.
PREP HOCKEY:  32 breakout forward candidates | 18 breakout defensemen candidates
Teddy Stiga
Boston College | F
Hometown: Sudbury, Mass.
Prep: Belmont Hill
While potential 2025 No. 1 overall pick James Hagens has garnered the most headlines, Stiga is making his own impact in his debut on the Heights after becoming the Nashville Predators’ second-round draftee over the summer. The speedy center who played one year at Belmont Hill before joining the National Team Development Program has centered Bruins prospects Oskar Jellvik and Andre Gasseau of late, accounting for nine points in 13 games. Two of his three goals have been shorthanded, making him one of two Hockey East players with multiple.
David Sacco
Merrimack | F
Hometown: Middleton, Mass.
Prep: Lawrence
Sacco has been the beneficiary of more playing time in a Merrimack lineup that has been hit with the injury bug, but really took advantage of his opportunities with a memorable weekend in Belfast. After netting just one goal in 18 games last season, the sophomore already has five. He scored in both games of an early-November series against UConn and three times against Boston University and Harvard during the Friendship Four.
Owen Fowler
Maine | F
Hometown: Tewksbury, Mass.
Prep: Governor’s Academy
A junior transfer from UMass Lowell who missed all of last season due to injury, Fowler brings a veteran presence to a Maine lineup that still dresses more than a handful of underclassmen as he skates alongside captain Lynden Breen on the top line. Providing consistent scoring for his new team of late, four of his five goals and seven of 10 points have come in the last five games. His first-half highlight was a two-goal effort in the Black Bears’ Nov. 15 win over Boston University. He logged 36 points twice at Governor’s.
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Liam Devlin
New Hampshire | F
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
Prep: St. Sebastian’s
Devlin has been a top-three goal scorer for the Wildcats during each of his first three seasons, and he’s off to another solid start as a senior. He has 37 career tallies to his name following two recent double-digit years, and two of his three in the current campaign have come in the last three games. His six assists and nine points are second on UNH thus far, trailing only star sophomore and Los Angeles Kings draftee Ryan Conmy, who has already scored six times. If the Wildcats want to climb back into the top half of Hockey East, a strong second half from Devlin will be key.
Dylan Hryckowian
Northeastern | F
Prep: Salisbury
Without older brother and captain Justin — who was recently recalled to the Dallas Stars — on his line, Dylan Hryckowian has been counted upon even more to produce as the Huskies look to find their footing in Hockey East. That boost comes after posting 34 points last season, the most by a Northeastern rookie in a decade. The former Salisbury star is tied with Cushing product Cam Lund (Bridgewater, Mass.) for the team lead with six goals and 13 points, having produced a crucial two-goal game in a Nov. 23 win over Boston College and a game-winner Sunday against Bentley.
Casey Severo
Harvard | F
Prep: Nobles
Playing on a team that is always well stocked with New England prep alumni, Severo added to his solid start with Harvard’s first hat trick since 2021 in Saturday’s Friendship Four contest against Merrimack. All three of Severo’s goals were assisted by standout junior classmate Joe Miller. The former Nobles captain from Penfielf, N.Y., has four goals and three assists over the Crimson’s first eight games, tying him with Miller and freshman Mick Thompson for the team lead in points.
Connor Hasley
Bentley | G
Prep: Northfield Mount Hermon
Before taking a 3-1 Sunday loss at Hockey East foe Northeastern, the North Tonawanda, N.Y., native had recorded three straight shutouts and four in five starts to help the Falcons reach the top of Atlantic Hockey. Hasley, who is 7-4-1, has been a stout last line of defense for a unit that allows only 2.2 goals per game and has the second-best GAA in the league. His run included stopping all 50 shots he faced in a sweep of Air Force before Thanksgiving.
BOYS PREP RANKINGS:Â Our preseason top 10Â |Â Who are the next 15 teams?Â
Aidan Thompson
Denver | F
Prep: Berkshire
A bonus player whose collegiate home is outside of New England with the defending national champion and now-No. 2 Pioneers, Thompson has contributed on the scoresheet in all 14 games this season and figures second nationally in both goals (10) and points (22). The Colorado native is no stranger to scoring, having logged a 20-goal season at Berkshire before moving to the USHL in 2020 and netted a career-high 11 for Denver en route to Frozen Four glory in April.
